TEDx talk from a veteran in prison

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rlongnt

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Bring back the draft for what? We don't need any more numbers than we can already get. If the SHTF the draft would immediately come back anyway. As for my kiddos, change the ROE or leave them the hell alone!

I went in on my own and wasn't some poor dumb kid with nothing else to do.
 

surjimmy

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All generations of war have a name for it. WWI was Shell Shock, WWII I think it was Battle Fatigue. Now it's called PTSD. IMO besides the horror of what these kids see over there, it's what is being taught to them at home. We are not preparing these kids today for any kind of failure. Everybody Wins, Everybody gets a Trophy, Everybody makes the Team. They are not prepared for the harsh reality of life, then they get sent off to HELL and see and do stuff no one should ever have to see or do. They come home, and the few who do ask for help are shamed and not helped. Here take a pill and buck up. Then it comes to a complete surprise when some Dumb A@# screws up and thinks he's a tough guy. Then the Vet takes it to a whole other level. The bar room tuff thought process is, I'm going to tell everyone what I'm going to do. I'm going to hit him, he'll fall down, then I'll kick him. All my buddies will laugh and buy me a beer. The Vet think's, I'm going to put this beer bottle through his face, and then snap his neck. Instead of 10yrs in jail, how about 10yrs of therapy.
 

ignerntbend

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Bring back the draft for what? We don't need any more numbers than we can already get. If the SHTF the draft would immediately come back anyway. As for my kiddos, change the ROE or leave them the hell alone!

I went in on my own and wasn't some poor dumb kid with nothing else to do.
John's idea about character building etc. isn't bad even though it's really impractical in reality.
It would be great if the McNamaras and Rumsfelds of the world had a little skin in the game. It might make them think a little harder. Nobody imagines that it'll ever really happen.
 

John6185

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John's idea about character building etc. isn't bad even though it's really impractical in reality.
It would be great if the McNamaras and Rumsfelds of the world had a little skin in the game. It might make them think a little harder. Nobody imagines that it'll ever really happen.

That's just it, everyone should serve rich, poor, in-between, politician's sons and daughters too. right now the military is overburdened with child care facilities, pregnant females, etc. Used to be when they were expecting they were discharged. Of course we had the days in the AF that folders were created on all female applicants and they were reviewed at Randolph AFB and guess what? Only the good looking ones got in!
 

dennishoddy

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Even during the days of the draft, the draft boards were political appointees. If daddy or mommy had stroke in the community, you got an exemption to stay home and drink beer at the Red Barn while those not so connected got the letter to serve.
 

SMS

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As an almost 22 year veteran of the all-volunteer force I can wholeheartedly say F the draft. It's hard enough to get volunteers to do what they are told once they are in. Draftees would be a friggin' nightmare. I don't give a sh%t about social engineering and forcing others to develop character. I want to serve with people who want to be there...

The only time I would support a draft would be in an extreme case in the face of a clear and overwhelming threat to America that required the sort of massive build-up we went through prior to WWII.
 

John6185

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As an almost 22 year veteran of the all-volunteer force I can wholeheartedly say F the draft. It's hard enough to get volunteers to do what they are told once they are in. Draftees would be a friggin' nightmare. I don't give a sh%t about social engineering and forcing others to develop character. I want to serve with people who want to be there...
The only time I would support a draft would be in an extreme case in the face of a clear and overwhelming threat to America that required the sort of massive build-up we went through prior to WWII.
As a SMS with over 23 years in, I've worked with all kinds and there are various thoughts regarding the draft. Discipline is the main key in getting draftees or volunteers to do their duty. Without discipline and uniformity we have. rag-tag military and that unfortunately is where we are headed today. We have people with turbans, people with hijabs, people who carry a sword around as part of their religion, people from various countries who aren't necessarily loyal to the United States, people with beards as part of their religion, ex-and current gang members, etc. And some of these people turn against their brothers-in-arms. I'm afraid I don't know what the answer is because it's too complicated today. Draftees aren't nightmares any more than volunteers are, it depends on the individual. In the defense of the draft, we won WWII with draftees and haven't won a war since thanks to politicians.
 

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